Require the related Essential Norms be audited along with the charter. While the charter is a profound, important and morally binding document, it does not actually stand as church law. The Essential Norms, however, has been approved by the Vatican as church law to assure diocesan compliance with the charter.
This audit issue regarding the Essential Norms is at the core of the concern I raised more than one year ago with the Diocese of La Crosse. According to its diocesan website, the standard of proof that their diocesan review board requires of a person making an allegation of clergy sexual abuse exceeds the standard of proof required by Church law. Because the review board is requiring more of the person making the allegation than is necessary, the possibility exists that the review board will determine that some allegations do not need to be forwarded to the Vatican that really should be sent, allowing priests or deacons who should be removed from ministry to actually continue in ministry. As a result of this incorrect standard of proof, I contend, children and young people in the Diocese of La Crosse could be at risk.
Last year Bishop Callahan stated after the annual third party audit on the diocese that "we have been audited by the Gavin Group, the Diocese of La Crosse received a “clean bill of health.”"
So is Fr.Connell calling Bp. Callahan a liar?